Idaho House lawmakers pullback felon firearm ban bill

Idaho lawmakers have pulled back legislation that would expand the list of the worst kind of felons banned from owning firearms.

House State Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Loertscher of Iona tells the Idaho Statesman that legislative leaders didn’t want to have a “big battle” about the measure on the House floor. The bill has since been returned to Loertscher’s committee for possible modifications.

If passed, the measure would make terrorists, criminal gang members, human trafficking and hijacking convictions banned from owning firearms, even if they are discharged from their sentences.

Opponents of the bill, including Rep. Judy Boyle, have taken issue with terrorism convictions. They cite the case of two Oregon ranchers whose terrorism conviction inspired the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge south of Burns that has attracted worldwide attention.

Boyle, a Republican from Midvale, says the state’s terrorism definition is too broad and should be amended first.

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Information from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com